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From the Top celebrates the passion. dedication and personal stories of the nation's outstanding young classical musicians. Through entertaining radio and television broadcasts, online media, and a national tour of live events and outreach programs, these performers inspire the pursuit of excellence, and encourage participation in the arts as an integral part of a vibrant and civil society.

Upcoming Events

Past Events

From the Top Live in Boston

Meet “young musicians who will knock your socks off” (NBC’s Today) when From the Top, the preeminent showcase for young musicians heard weekly on WCRB 99.5, tapes its NPR radio show at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall. This recording of the popular NPR program hosted by acclaimed pianist Christopher O'Riley...

From the Top Live in Boston

Meet “young musicians who will knock your socks off” (NBC’s “Today”) when From the Top, the preeminent showcase for young musicians heard weekly on WCRB 99.5, tapes its NPR radio show at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston. This recording of the popular NPR program hosted by acclaimed pianist...

From the Top Live with Host Christopher O'Riley

From the Top – NPR’s showcase for young musicians, hosted by pianist Christopher O’Riley – tapes a live recording in its hometown concert hall. Now celebrating its thirteenth year on the air, From the Top’s mix of serious music, light-hearted skits, and informal interviews spotlights the talent and passion of...

From the Top with Host Christopher O’Riley – Live Taping

From the Top – NPR’s showcase for young musicians, hosted by pianist Christopher O’Riley – tapes a live recording in its hometown concert hall. Now celebrating its thirteenth year on the air, From the Top’s mix of serious music, light-hearted skits, and informal interviews spotlights the talent and passion of...

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Videos

Media Reviews

"As the large listening audience and full concert halls show, “From the Top” has won the hearts of classical music lovers and others who simply enjoy the freshness, enthusiasm and talent of young people. As part its 10th anniversary season, the…
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"As the large listening audience and full concert halls show, “From the Top” has won the hearts of classical music lovers and others who simply enjoy the freshness, enthusiasm and talent of young people. As part its 10th anniversary season, the show will hold a live taping Feb. 6 at Jordan Hall in Boston featuring an alumnus who now is a professional trumpeter, as well as up-and-coming teenagers from Dorchester, Norwood and Newton.

Expect to hear not just impressive performances but to get a feel for the kids who make the music. O’Riley clearly likes to have a good time with these musicians, who often laugh at his comments. Anyone who believes the stereotype of the nerdy, socially inept musician will think again after these engaging interviews."
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Nearly a decade ago, a noble experiment was broadcast on public radio. From the Top was launched as a showcase for pre-college classical musicians.

Today, the program is heard by about 700,000 weekly listeners on NPR stations, and this y…
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Nearly a decade ago, a noble experiment was broadcast on public radio. From the Top was launched as a showcase for pre-college classical musicians.

Today, the program is heard by about 700,000 weekly listeners on NPR stations, and this year's tour will reach more than 20,000 live fans. The show's host is the amiable pianist Christopher O'Riley, known for playing Bach and Rachmaninoff, as well as his adventurous transcriptions of songs by the British rock band Radiohead.

The success of From the Top, O'Riley says, is due solely to the young musicians who appear on the show.

"They become the best emissaries I can imagine for classical music," O'Riley says. "They are not yet doing it for a living, so they can just go with their heart. It's not a pragmatic decision; it's really doing what comes most passionately and easily with them."

Some of that passion includes skateboarding — as when O'Riley allowed a young guitarist to take a spin on the stage of Davies Hall in San Francisco during a show.

For the 10th anniversary of From the Top, the show has invited back some alums from the early days.

NPR's Liane Hansen interviews host Christopher O'Riley, and From the Top alumni William Harvey and Maya Shankar.
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